Packing material.



S ATsrairsfr rates.

MICHAEL E. RYAN, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

PACKING MATERIAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 190 8.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mioimnn E. RYAN, a citizen of the Unlted'States, residing-at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of hlassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Packing Material, of which the following is a specificatlon, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to anti-friction packing material, and the process of-making it. The objects of my invention are to produce a new and useful packing material which has great durability, is resilient, facilitates the flow of lubricant to the object to be lubricated, and is practically non-inflammable. ,7

A further object is to provide a process, whereby felt, in either small or large pieces, may, when subjected to said process, or to various steps thereof, be transformed into an anti-friction packing material which has some or-all of the above mentioned characteristics. 5

The best mode now known to me of em bodymg the principle of my invention 1s,

First, totreat the felt byboiling itfor,

say, two hours in asolution of soda; there being. used one pound of soda, for each pound of material to be treated. TlllS treat ment removes all traces of grease, dirt and the like from the felt.

Second, to remove the felt from the soda solution, and drain and wash the felt with plain water.

'Third, to place the treated material in a lukewarm or cold saltwater bath kept in motion, as by the well known revolving cage, for one and one half or two hours. By this step, the material becomes sufficiently inn pregnated to render it non-inflammable.

' Fourth, to treat the material with a solution of plumbago. The plumbago is first dissolved, and then enough water is added to the solution to submerge the material to be treated. The solution is then thoroughly stirred and agitated and the material-put into it, three eighths of a pound of plumbago being used for each pound of material; and the solution and material being kept in motion, as by a revolvingcage, for about one and one half hours, and at atempe'rature not exceeding 100 degrees Fah., and not less than 90 degrees. Because of this step, the material becomes permeated with suitable lubricant.

Fifth, to subject the material to the action of nitrate of" mercury. This renders the material cellular; that is, the animal fiber and'coloring matter are removed from each hair of the fur; there being left a hollow capillary tube, which serves to carry by capillary attraction, the liquid lubricant, as oil, to the object to be lubricated, and which, because of being springy, always keeps in close contact with the moving surface of the object, whether it is smooth or has any inequalities.

The solution of soda, as above stated, removes the grease in the felt, and does to a slight extent, remove the animal oil and coloring matter from the hair of the fur. The resulting material, after being cleansed of its dirt, would be good for packing; but I prefer, however, to remove all of the remaining animal oil and coloring matter, and for this purpose I use the nitrate of mercury, which also disintegrates the fibers, and opens up in the spears of hair of the fur, there being formed 'in the hair,,cells that serve as reservoirs for the lubricant, as oil.

If desirable the nitrate of mercury may be used in place of the solution of soda, and, thus do away with the step using the latter, but of course, such a plan necessitates an unnecessary expense. In any event, the felt must be cleansed of its. dirt and grease, and the matted animal fiber be opened up, and the animal oils and coloring matter removed, so that there will result a tangled mass of resilient capillary hair tubes.

The mass of material may be charged withthe desired lubricant either before or after it has been given the shape desired forpacking. And further, the material may be myself .to the particular order or to the particular number of steps enumerated; or to. the particular substances employed in treatingdthe felt; for other equivalents may be use Desiring to p 'otect my invention-in the broadest manner. legally possible, what I claim is:

1. A manufacture, consisting of matted hollow capillary tubes .forined by the removal ofthe animal oils and.- coloring matger from the tubes of animal fiber or fur in elt.

2. A manufacture, hollow capillary tubes form consistin of tangled by the removal of the lnterior of animal hair, or fur.-

A manufacture, consisting of tangled hollow capillary tubes formed by the removal 'of the interior of animal hair, and rendered non-inflammable;

4.'The' process of making anti-friction packing material, consisting in using suitable means for removing from felt the animal oils, and the fiber and coloring matter from-the capillary tubes. of the animal hair or fur, as by the nitrate of mercury; and then draining, and washing, as in plain water.

5. The process of making anti-friction packing material, consisting in using suitable means for removing from felt the animal oils, and the fiber and coloringmatter from the capillary tubes of the animal hair or fur, as by nitrate of mercury; then draining, and washing, as inplain water;-and in rendering the treated material non-inflammable, as by placing the material" in a salt. waterbath.

6. The process ofmaking anti-friction packing materlal', consisting in using suitable means for removing from felt the animal oils, and the fiber and coloring matter from the capillary tubes of the animal hair or' fur, as by nitrate of mercury; then draining, and washing, as in plain water; and in charging it with suitable lubricant, as by immersing it in a solution of plumba o.

7. The process'of making antiriction ackingmaterial, consisting in using suitable means for removingifrom felt all traces of grease, dirt, and the ke, as by boilingit in a solution ofsoda, and then drainingand washing in plain water.

8. The process of making anti-friction packing material, consisting in using suitable means for removing from felt all traces of grease, dirt, and the like, as by boiling it in a solution of soda, and then draining and washing it in plain water; and in removing the animal oils, and the fiber and coloring matter from the capillary tubes of the animal hair or fur, as by nitrate of mercury.

9. The process of making anti-friction packing material, consisting in using suit-v able means for removing'from felt all traces of grease, dirt, and the like, as byboiling it in a solution of soda, and then draining and in a solution of soda, and then draining, and

washingit in plain water;- in rendering the treated material non inflammable, as by placing the same in a salt water bath; in removing the animal oils, and the fiber and coloring matter from the capillary tubes of the animal hair or fur, as by nitrate of mercury; and in charging it with a suitable lubricant', as by immersing it in a solution of plumbago. v In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL E. RYAN. Wltnesses: v Y

L. H. BURRELL, CHARLES J. Tonnes.

of making anti-friction 

